Machine for making metal fabric



J. A. PAYETTE.

' MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL FABR|C.. I

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1917.

Patented Sept. 14',120.\

4'SBEETSSHEET I.

059 w gza my I A TTORNE y.

J. A. PAYETTE.

MACHINE FOR MAKlNG METAL FABRIC.

APPLICATION min JULY 23. 1917.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1. A. FAYETTE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1917- PatentedSept. 14, 1920. I

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Jose /1// J. A. PAYETTE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL FABRIC- W. 9 4 d. M F mm -Mm M fi n w /v I 7 P 6 0 H U m w T m W. A 0

//v vtxvraz? Jase M A UNITED STATMENT OFFICEJ 1 JOSEPH ARTHUR FAYETTE, 0F PROVIDENCE, RI-I0I E ISLAND, Ass'IGNon, BY MEs'NE ASSIGNMENTS, To GENERAL CHAIN c01vI1=A Y.'or PRO I ENC n'no'nn ISLAND,

a CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MAcHINn roe MAKING METAL FABRIC. Y

Application filed July 23,

ful Improvements in Machines for Making Metal Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making flexible metal fabric formed oftwo sets of links, one being interlocked with the other, providing a fabric used largely in the jewelry art. 7

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a horizontal platen'over whicha continuous loop of fabric is fed and to provide anti-friction fabric supporting rolls on h more perfect fabric-feeding a'ctionw A further object of the invention is to provide a rotatable feeding member which is in constant feeding engagement with the fabric instead of alternately engaging and releasing'the samewhile performing the feeding operation.

A further object of' the invention is to provide a carrier plate into which the lock link is deposited with means for rotating this carrier and means for positively preventing a retrograde movement of the carrier after each rotating action. r

A still further object of the-invention 'i to provide means for bending the four prongs of the lock link over to engage the four adjacent ring links and to provide means for slightly separating the prongs to admit of a more effective soldering joper};

ation. j

The invention further consists in the provision of means for positioning the last fed ring link by the neXt succeeding stroke of the ring feeder. V I

With these and other objects inview, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction,- as will-be more fully described, ancl particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved metal fabric making machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing the three plungers for operating upon the lock link.

v the prongs upturned.-

. the lock link and Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 14 1920;

1917. sen-a1 No. 182,192.

, F ig, 4t is 'an'enlargeddetail showing the, lock link storage hopper, the feed bar and the plunger for bending up the prongs of this link and'depositing-it' in the carrier.

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating, the ring link hopper, the ring feed and the plunger which raises the bent lock link from the carrier to positionits prongs through the four adj acentring links tobe subsequently thereover.

Fig. 6 shows one of these look links with Fig. 7 shows the, link with the prongs partly bent into locked position.

clenched Fig. 8 is aviewof the working end of the prong-folding plunger.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail in section showing the spur in the center of the prong- -fold1ng plunger for slightly separating the ends of the prongsto better permitthe .de

Fig. 11 is an end view of the table illustrating the general continuous loop arrangement of the fabric in which form the links are applied to the margin thereof without interrupting the continuity of the operation. Fig. 12 is a view showing the end of the fabric-advancing mechanism.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a front view of the plunger mechanism which" performs the bending of the depositing'of the same into the carrier. w

fabrie table and illustrating the rotatable M 15 shows the bearing of this plunger as mounted in a gate member, whichmember is shown as being swung'back on its hinges to facilitate the clearing of the'lock link bending-die when clogged. V

Fig-16 is a detail showing the side elevation of the prong closing plunger. 7

Fig. 17 is a section on line 17-17 of l i g. '16 showing the circular adjustability of the closing plunger.

Fig. 18 is a view looking at the bottom end of the closing plunger.

Fig. 19 is an' enlarged view of the cam which operates the closing plunger showing the extra protuberance on the cam for imparting an extra blow to the plunger for positively bending the prongs of the lock link to a horizontal position.

Fig. 20 is a top view illustrating the lock link feeding member and the die opening .in the table through which the bending plunger forces the link to turn its prongs upward and to deposit it into the carrier below.

Fig. 21 is a plan view showing a section of the fabric supporting table, a section of fabric'on the table and the combined ringlink feeding and positioning tool.

Fig. 22 is a view showing the back side of a section of fabric.

Fig. 23 is an edge view of the fabric showing the prongs of the lock link before they have been finally rolled down into position.

Referring to the drawings, 25 designates the bed of the machine upon which the cam shaft 26 is mounted in bearings 27, which shaft is driven through the pulleys 28, and on this shaft is mounted the various cams necessary for operating the mechanism hereinafter described.

In the operation of my improved fabric forming machine I employ two styles of links, one in ring form illustrated at 29, see Figs. 21 and 22, cut out from flat stock, while the other is in substantially the form of a cross illustrated at 30 in Fig. 20, also cut from flat stock having four fingers adapted to be bent up, passed through the ring-links and turned over to loosely lock the links together. This cross form of link will be hereinafter called the lock link In handling this look link I provide a long tube 31 square in cross section in which these links in fiat form are stored, the lowermost link resting upon the feeder bar 32, which bar is of substantially the same thickness as the link. The ring links 29 are stored in a circular tube 33, the lower link resting upon the feeder plate 34. A carrier disk plate 35 is mounted beneath the bed 25 and is provided witha series of holes 36 about its outer edge, which holes are adapted to register both with a die hole 37 and a return hole 53 through the bed. This plate is provided with a step by step rotation by the camv 38 acting through the bar 39 uponthe spring-pressed pawl 40, which pawl engages the ratchet teeth 41 in the edge of the plate. 7

It is found in practice that whenthis 'pawl is being advanced for another tooth,

by means of a spring (not shown), the friction of this pawl in running back over the teeth of the plate has a tendency to move the plate back out of adjusted position and sometimes a quick feeding movement carries the plate ahead beyond its registering position, either of which actions interferes with the proper operation of the machine. Therefore to obviate this serious difficulty I have provided a series of separate and independent V-shaped peripheral teeth 42 which are engaged by a correspondingly shaped pawl43, withdrawn by cam 44 through the cam bar 45 and advanced to engaging position by spring 45*, which pawl positively positions the plate to cause its link receiving holes to accurately register with the die holes in the bed. In order to feedthe lock links, the feeder bar 32 is withdrawn by means of the cam 46 through the action of roll 47 and slide bar 48, from beneath the pile of lock links permitting the leased by the cam 46 it is moved forward through the action of spring 49 to move this link over the die opening 37. Here this link is engaged by the plunger 50 which is actuated through cam 51 and lever arm 52, pivoted at 52 to force the link down through the die opening 37 into the opening 36 of thecarrier 35, causing the link fingers to be bent upward into the position best illustrated in Fig. 6. This carrier is now advanced through its pawl and ratchet mechanism step' by step and when the link so bent, arrives at the second opening 53 in the bed, a secondplunger 54 beneath the bed, which is operated from the cam 55 through the lever arm 56, pivoted at 56*, see Figs. 1 and 2, engages the under side of this link and forces the same upward so that each of its four prongs will pass up through each of the adjacent four ring links, see Fig. 21, which have been previously positioned to receive these prongs. The plunger 57 having a cup-shaped lower end 58, is now forced downward by means of the cam 59, through the lever 60, pivoted at 60*, to fold these fingers inwardly and close them over the ring links.

The ring links are first moved similar to the, lock links above described, in that the ring-link feed bar 34 is withdrawn at the proper time by means of cam 61, cam roll 62 and long bar 63, permitting the pile'of links under gravity action, to force the lower link 0 down into the path-of movement of the ring feeder, so that whenre It is found in practice that while advanc ing the fabric into position to receive the next two links, that. is one ring link and one look link, the marginal link a has a ter the fresh ring link is positioned at the tendency to move out of its pro er relative position, that is, from the dctte to the full line position, in which latter position the prongs of the lock link cannot well pass through it. Therefore to obviate this difiiculty I have provided the feeder member 34 with a second recessed opening 65, and an extending finger 66 adapted to engage this displaced ring a and move 'it down into proper position, at the same time it is positioning the fresh link 0. p

By means of these two link-feeding mechanisms, it will be-seen that immediately afmargin of the fabric, that the lock link is forced upward by the plunger 54, its prongs passing through this fresh link and also through three of the links previously attached to the fabric, the prongs of this lock link are then engaged by the plunger 57, bending them inwardly and loosely connecting the said four rings together. The fabric is then advanced, and another ring link is positioned and another look link is caused to engage the next four ring links, as above described, after each feeding operation of the fabric' A narrow table 67 extends-outward from the bed of the machine to serveas a support over which the fabric is fed while the links are being attached to its margin. It is found in practice to be of great advantage to form this fabric in a continuous band, as illustrated at b in Fig. 11 so that the continuity of the operation of the machine may be uninterrupted; that is if the fabric were not in band form the operator would have to start the machine over again each time it reached the end of the fabric, but by form= ing the fabric in a band the operation is continuous. By providing a narrow table v or support for the fabric and allowing the loop to hang thereover the length of this band is entirely unrestricted and the width only limited by that of the table.

It is found in practice that where a long band is hanging from the edges of the table 7 that its weight creates considerable friction and in some cases prevents the proper operation of the mechanism, therefore, to over come this objection I have provided antifriction rolls 68 which support the weight of the fabric and over which the fabric may be readily drawn. Then again to further reduce the friction of this fabric I have fabric.

In order to rotate this feed roll intermita tently, I have provided a rack-arm 75 which is connected by the pin 76 to the sliding block 77, and this block is' given an intermittent reciprocating motion from-the cam 78 through the arm 79, pivoted at 7 9, whereby as the cam rotates it forces the arm 75 to the right, and when this arm is j released by the cam, it is withdrawn by means of the spring 80. V

I have arranged that this rack-arm shall engage and release the teeth of this roll at the proper time, which is accomplished by means of the cam 81 acting through roll 82 upon the bar 83, pivoted at 83*, the free end of which bar isconnected to the pin 84 on this arm 75 so that just before the rock arm is moved to the right, it is dropped into contact with the teeth of the roll and just before it is moved back to the left it is raised from contact with the roll, therefore, the roll receives an intermittent rotation for imparting a step by step longitudi-,

nal feeding movement to the fabric without releasing the fabric.

When it is desired to raise the roll and release the fabric in order to reset, adjust or otherwise manipulate the same by hand, it is only necessary to withdraw the pawl 91 by the handle 96 against the tension spring 92, from the opening 93in the arm 73, whereby both of the supporting arms. may be swung on their pivot screws 94 to raise the roll from the fabric.

It is found in practice in the-continued bending up of the prongs of the different lock links that some become displaced and the die opening becomes clogged, and in order that the clogging members may be readily removed and cleared from the die,

I have mounted the plunger 50 in a block u 85 and hinged this block at 86 to its post 87, whereby it is only necessary to withdraw the lock pin 88, see'Fig. 14, from one side of the block, to swing its plunger quite clear and out of the way of the die opening 37, thereby rendering the clogged opening quite accessible. 7

In some instances it is found necessary to bend down the prongs of the lock link to further close the same and, therefore, I have provided a protuberance 89 on the cam 59, which causes the die to strike a second blow and so more perfectly close the fingers flatly over the rings.

In some instances where very fine mesh is made it is found desirable owing to the delicacy of the stock, necessary to solder the ends of the fingers together, and in such cases it is found desirable to slightly separate the extremitiesor abutting ends of the fingers so that a small portion of the solder may work its Way down between these fingers to render the soldering action more effective. Therefore to accomplish this I have formed a spur 90, see Figs. 8and 9, on

the inner surface of the bending plunger, whereby the finishing downward stroke of the plunger will slightly separate the ends of the arms when folded to facilitate solder- 2. In a machine for making link mesh fabric, means for supporting a set of ring;-

links, means for supporting a set of pronged links, means for successively positioning the ring links to the margin ofthe fabric being formed and simultaneously repositioningthe ring next previously fed, and means for subsequently passing the fingers of the pronged link through three rings in the fabric and also the last ring fed.

3. In a machine for making link-mesh fabric, means for supporting a set'of ringlinks, means for supporting a set of pronged links, a double grooved feed plate for successively positioning the ring-links to the margin of the fabric being formed and simultaneously repositioning the ring next previously fed, and means for subsequently passing the fingers of the pronged link through three rings in the fabric and also the last ring fed.

4. In a machine for making link mesh fabric, a table for supporting a piece of the fabric, means for feeding the links to the fabric, clenching tools for attaching the links to the m rgin of the fabric, a rotatable feeder member in constant feeding engagement with the fabric for sliding it intermittently over the table and into position to be operated upon" by said tools and a 7 spring for maintaining the feeder in yieldmg engagement with the fabric.

5. A machine formaking link mesh fabric comprising a horizontal platen over which a continuous loop of fabric is fed, means for attaching links to the margin of the fabric as advanced over said platen, a corrugated roll in constant feeding engagement with the links of the fa'bric, a reciprocating member forrotatingsaid roll intermittently to advance the fabric step by step over said platen relative to said link-attaching means and means for maintaining said roll in yielding engagement withthe fabric 6. A machine for making link mesh fabric comprising a horizontal platen over which a continuous loop of fabric is fed, means for attaching links to the margin of the fabric as advanced over said platen, a corrugated roll having teeth in constant feeding engagement with the fabric links, a reciprocating member engaging said roll intermi'ttently to rotate it and so advance the fabric step by step relative to said link attaching means, and means whereby said roll may be raised to release the fabric when desired.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatur 1n presence of "a witness.

JOSEPH ARTHUR FAYETTE Witness HOWARD E. BARLOW. 

